Orfeo Ed Euridice

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Irish National Opera in association with Galway International Arts FestivalA co-production with United Fall in partnership with Irish Baroque Orchestra

‘There is no musical rule that I have not willingly sacrificed to dramatic effect.’ - Christoph Willibald Von Gluck

Following on from the massive success of The Second Violinist at last year’s festival, Galway International Arts Festival is delighted to present Irish National Opera’s major new production of Orfeo ed Euridice, which will premiere at GIAF 2018.

Christoph Willibald Von Gluck’s influential opera Orfeo ed Euridice is based on the myth of Orpheus, who is granted permission to travel to the underworld to rescue his wife Euridice on the condition that he not look at her until they are back on earth.

This new large-scale production features a revolutionary new mix of words, singing and dancing and will be sung in Italian with English surtitles. It is directed by renowned choreographer and director Emma Martin and features the acclaimed Irish mezzo soprano Sharon Carty, the sopranos Sarah Power and Emma Nash; the Irish Baroque Orchestra, and the Irish National Opera Chorus, with conductor Peter Whelan.

‘I read and re-read Gluck’s scores. I copied them and learnt them by heart. I went without sleep because of them and forgot to eat or drink. An ecstasy possessed me.’ - Hector Berlioz - Composer

Orfeo ed Euridice is the most popular of Gluck’s works and one of the most influential, with variations of the plot found in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Beethoven's Fidelio and Wagner's Das Rheingold.

Irish National Opera was formed after the merging of two existing companies - Opera Theatre Company and Wide Open Opera - who have created some of the most exciting opera productions on the Irish stage in recent years, including The Second Violinist (co-produced with Landmark Productions), which premiered to critical acclaim at Galway International Arts Festival last year.

‘The reason Orfeo or anyone else starts the journey is love. It is the only power which can bring us safely through.’ - Janet Baker - Mezzo Soprano